


Coffee Date

by sparkinside



Category: AFI
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 06:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2802122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkinside/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It really should not have been this complicated. It was just a simple question. Any idiot could do it. So why was he having such a rough time with it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coffee Date

**Author's Note:**

> Nothing in this piece ever happened. I claim no ownership nor do I make any sort of profit from this, other than pride and a sense of amusement.

For the hundredth time, Jade found himself cursing the reflection staring back at him. It really should not have been this complicated. It was just a simple question. Any idiot could do it. So why was he having such a rough time with it?

God, he really was getting far too old for this. Taking a deep breath and splashing a fresh round of cool water on his face, he forced himself to clear his mind. _I can do this_.

Flashing his best smile, Jade began, “So I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me sometime. We could…Fuck, what am I twelve? ‘Would you like to go out with me?’ Jesus why not say ‘Do you want to pin me and go steady?’” 

This was never going to work. He was fooling himself when he thought he could handle this. “You know talking to yourself is a sign of mental illness.”

Jade screeched as he swirled around to face the owner of the voice. Adam’s blue eyes shone with amusement at the look of terror that flooded his friend’s eyes. “Jesus Carson! Are you trying to kill me?” The laugh that fell from Adam’s lips almost melted Jade’s anger and embarrassment at being found out. Almost. “Never mind, I thought you were supposed to be getting coffee with Hunt and Dave.”

“And leave you here by yourself, in this fragile state? What do you take me for?” 

Jade bit back the retort hanging on the tip of his tongue, though the ire glowed in his eyes forcing another hearty laugh from Adam. Jade simply rolled his eyes, willing down the redness that had flooded his cheeks and praying Adam hadn’t noticed. “An annoyance?”

Adam simply rolled his eyes and chuckled again. “You love me, old man. Admit it.” He laughed harder still at the way Jade rolled his eyes. “So who are you trying to ask out? Or are you professing your undying love to yourself. If that’s the case you’re giving Dave a run for his money in the narcissism department.”

“Ha ha.” Jade shook his head, trying to think of something, anything he could say to change the topic away from his disastrous attempt at practice flirting. “Seriously, I thought you said you were going to check out the city.”

“Nice deflection.” Jade flushed once more, hating his traitorous blood vessels for giving him away. The smile that spread across his friend’s face told him that he’d been caught once more. “So, seriously, who are you practicing for?”

The curiosity in Adam’s eyes pulled Jade in and it was in that moment that he knew he was a goner. There was little anyone could do when Adam Carson turned his full charm on them. The smug bastard.

“Just someone,” Jade muttered, hoping his friend wouldn’t push. It was hard enough dealing with the fact that Adam had caught him making a fool of himself, having to admit that it was in fact Adam that he was doing this for would surely be the death of him. 

Adam’s eyebrow cocked in amusement, “Does this someone have a name?” Jade ignored his question and made his way from the bathroom towards the bed that he claimed as his own. “Oh come on, it can’t be that bad.”

His friend’s goading was starting to grate his nerves. Why couldn’t Adam just leave well enough alone? It was, however, becoming abundantly clear that Adam had no plans of letting the matter go. Jade forced in a deep breath before muttering “Alex.” It was close enough to the truth.

“Alex, huh?” He watched as the wheels turned in Adam’s head and was confident that he wouldn’t make the connection. “Where did you meet him?”

 _Fuck_. “Um, he…” Jade trailed off, trying to think of something, anything. He’d never been good at thinking on his feet in stressful situations. And this certainly qualified as a stressful situation. “He…works at the coffee shop down the street from my place. He’s got a nice smile and gorgeous eyes. Good sense of humor too.” That sounded believable enough, didn’t it?

Adam smiled, “Sounds like a nice guy.” 

Jade nodded, hoping that Adam would let it go. But knowing Adam that wouldn’t be the case; he was stubborn as an ox to put in nicely. That was one of the things Jade loved about him. He was easy going and understanding but firm in his beliefs, someone that would perfectly compliment his own neurotic nature. 

“So I take it you haven’t worked up the nerve to ask him out yet?” The knowing smile that spread across Adam’s face only added to Jade’s ire and embarrassment. 

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Jade asked through clenched teeth. 

“Chill, Puget,” Adam chuckled and Jade flushed once more. _Dammit all_. “I just never thought I’d see the day you’d be at a loss when it came to talking to a guy.”

“Oh ha,” Jade started, feeling his irritation raise once more, “I just…” 

Adam nodded in understanding, “You don’t want to make an ass out of yourself.” Jade closed his eyes, nodding silently, _Too late for that one, huh Puget?_ “You know what would help more than talking to yourself in the mirror?”

“Growing a pair and talking to the guy?” Jade mumbled, wanting nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow him whole. That would have been a much more pleasant alternative than discussing this with Adam. Hell at this point just about anything would have been. 

Adam’s head flew back as a hearty laugh spilled from his lips, “That wouldn’t hurt,” he started, his laughter slowly subsiding, “But seriously, having someone to practice with wouldn’t hurt.”

Jade froze for a moment before his eyes snapped up to meet Adam’s. He couldn’t be serious…Could he? “Wha-what?”

“I know you’re brighter than that, Jade. Despite the brain cells you’ve fumigated off with all that bleach.” He reached up, rubbing his hand through the blonde fringe that covered Jade’s right eye. Jade chuckled, despite himself, at Adam’s playful though backhanded compliment and his affectionate touch. “I’m saying that if you need someone to be your sounding board, I’m game.”

“What?” Jade startled again. There had to be something wrong with his hearing. Maybe Adam had hit his head before coming up to see him. Something wasn’t right.

“You heard me.”

Jade blinked several times before finding words enough to speak, “So you’re saying you want me to pretend you’re Alex and ask you what I want to ask him?” Adam nodded, watching the wheels begin to turn in Jade’s head. In the back of his mind, Jade knew this could turn out to be a very, very bad idea. 

But this could be his one chance to tell Adam what he’d always wanted to and have his feedback and response. Well technically it would be “Alex’s” response, but Jade had to admit it was tempting. “I…I guess.”

Adam smiled, moving to sit on the bed across from Jade’s. “Fire at will.”

Jade sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat, now suddenly at a loss for words. Was he really going to do this? Really going to ask Adam what he’d wanted to ask since practically the first time they’d met under the guise of helping him talk to fictional Alex? How pathetic can a man actually get?

“If you’re uncomfortable, we don’t have to do this,” Adam reassured. The small voice in the back of Jade’s mind screamed at him to take the opportunity Adam had just offered him and run like hell. That would be a lot less embarrassing. But he forced himself to shake those thoughts away. For once in his life he refused to be the coward. Not that telling Adam under false pretenses was the height of bravery, but it was better than running straight for the hills as he’d done so often in the past. 

Clearing his throat, Jade forced himself to respond. “No, no, its fine. It’s just…a little strange….Well not that you’re strange, just that…I’m just shutting up now.” Once again scarlet flushed rampantly across the burning skin of his face. He wasn’t meant to do this with any amount of dignity it seemed. “Can we start over?”

Adam nodded through his fit of laughter, hiding his face in his arm at one point in a vain attempt to stifle it. He waved his free hand at Jade, signaling that it was fine for him to continue. Jade sat for a few moments more, trying to gather his wits about him. He could do this.

“Hey Jade! Your usual for today?”

Jade jumped slightly, he would be surprised if Adam didn’t think him a complete nut case at this point. It took him a moment to catch onto Adam’s…“Alex’s” lead. “Um, yeah. That would be great.” He kicked his heels against the frame of the bed, this was just going swimmingly. 

Adam quirked an eyebrow at the man sitting before him and continued on with the charade, pretending to hand Jade a cup. “So, anything new going on with you?”

Taking the ‘cup’, Jade smiled nervously, “No…Not really.” God, maybe he would have had better luck just sticking with the mirror. “So um…Are you seeing anyone?” As soon as the words had left his lips, Jade felt the strong urge to bang his head against the bedside table. _Really, genius? That was the best you could come up with?_

He had to give it to Adam, the man kept a straight face at that question, though he knew it had to be quite the effort. He could see his shoulders shaking with the strain of composure. “No. You interested?”

“That’s a bit forward, don’t you think, Ad?” 

Adam rolled his eyes, “You’re the one who agreed to my help. Take it or leave it, pal.”

“Fine,” Jade groaned, forcing himself to get back into character. “Maybe?” He batted his eyelashes for effect, secretly loving the smile and laughter they brought to Adam’s face.

“Well then,” Adam paused, looking down for a moment before meeting Jade’s gaze, “That certainly changes things.”

Jade sat perplexed for a moment, staring blankly at Adam. He had no idea where this was headed. Adam was supposed to be helping him. Or well technically unknowingly fulfilling his fantasy, but that was food for thought for another day. 

“…Depends on what you are interested in.” Adam’s voice broke through his thoughts, though he only managed to catch less than half of them. 

“What?” 

Adam smiled, “I said it turns out I am available but it depends on what you are interested in.” 

Jade swallowed audibly, “Um…Dinner…with me.” He could hear the warning bells ringing in his head; _Mayday! Mayday!_ This was going from bad to worse and Jade had no idea how to back pedal out of it. 

Unconsciously, his fingers began to pick at the blue duvet that covered his bed. Another nervous habit he couldn’t shake and one he knew Adam would pick up on. It was impossible to spend so many hours with a person over the years and not know when they were inches from a nervous breakdown.

To his credit, Adam didn’t say a word about Jade’s actions; Jade hoping he chalked it up to the weirdness of the situation and nothing more. He smiled reassuringly at Jade, “That would be nice. What did you have in mind?”

“Do you like Chinese?” That was better, more assured. A sliver of relief rushed through him and he allowed himself to relax his shoulders and smile, albeit weakly. Adam nodded and Jade’s smile spread. “Good. So um, would seven on Wednesday work for you?”

“Wednesday would be perfect.” His warm smile was echoed on Jade’s face. “See, it’s really not that hard.”

Jade nodded silently, letting his mind wander ever so slightly to the admittedly and unrealistically hopeful idea that he might actually be taking Adam to dinner on Wednesday or any other day. It was silly, Jade was well aware of that, but it pulled a hopeful smile to his face.

“Jade?” Adam’s voice broke through the haze of Jade’s thoughts. 

“Hm?”

“Do you think you can work up the balls to ask me for real this time?”

Jade’s eyes snapped open and locked on Adam. “What?” He managed to mumble, quite certain he once again had misheard or misinterpreted at the very least, his friend’s words. His heart pounded erratically against his chest. His gaze quickly dropped to his lap and he fought to regain his sanity and composure. God, he had to be losing it. 

Silently, Adam pushed himself up from his bed and moved to settle beside Jade’s tense form. His fingers traced the underside of Jade’s jaw, turning his face up so that Jade was now looking him directly in his eyes. “You heard me.”

“But…” Adam silenced Jade’s question with a calloused finger to his lips. Jade fought the involuntary shiver that coursed through him at the touch. Removing his finger slowly, Adam leaned forward. His warm breath tickled Jade’s face, forcing his eyes to close despite a valiant fight to keep them open. 

Their lips pressed gently together and Jade was in heaven. He was sure there was nothing in this world that could ever feel as good as Adam’s lips against his. His arms wrapped lazily around Adam’s broad shoulders and he allowed himself to sink into the kiss. Jade’s eyes remained tightly sealed as he felt Adam pulling slowly away from him. He could feel the warm heat of Adam’s breath against his skin and he involuntarily shivered.

“So are we still on for dinner?”

“If you keep kissing me like, Carson, you can have whatever the fuck you want.”


End file.
